ZONA ARQUEOLÓGICA DE PALENQUE

Originally called Lacamba ("the place of great waters"), Palenque is one of the most important Maya cities of the classical period, considered to be the jewel of the architecture associated with the style known as "Rio Usumacinta", which includes many sites such as Yaxchilan and Bonampak: decorative crests built on the buildings used by the elite, mastery of architectural techniques to cover vast spaces supported by walls with hard roofs, and decoration of the buildings with stucco modeling. The Spaniards had known about Palenque since 1784, but it was the Belgian Guillaume Joseph Dupaix, one of the first specialists in Amerindian civilizations, who made the first illustrated report in 1805. Until 150 BC, the site was probably still only a hamlet. From 250 AD onwards, the first important buildings were constructed, to be surmounted by those now seen in the central area of the site, all of which date from the Late Classic period (between 600 and 900 AD). The reign of King K'inich Janaab' Pakal, known as el Grán Pakal and Pakal II (603-683 AD) marks the architectural peak of the site. The visit can take from 3 hours to a day, depending on whether you want to explore its nooks and crannies or just see the main buildings. Worth seeing: the Temple of the Inscriptions, the Palace and the hill where the Edificios de Las Cruces are located, theEdificio del Conde and the inevitable Juego de Pelota.